Hydraulic packing device.



v PATBNTED JAN. 20, 1903.

A. G. CUMMINGS. HYDRAULIC PACKING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 1a,1901. no MoDEL.- z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l I l l r l 1 No. 718,701. PATENTE'D JAN. 20, 1903 A. Cr. CUMMINCS.HYDRAULIC PACKING DEVICE. APPLICATION HLED Nov. 1a, 1901.

No MODEL. 2 sHEETssHBBT 2.

llnrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT G. CUMMINGS, OF MILLERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICKW. WOOD, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

HYDRAULHC PACKING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,701, dated January20, 1903.

Application led November 18, 1901. Serial No. 82,654. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT G. CUMMINGS, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and aresident of Millersburg, Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Packing Devices, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a hydraulic stuffing-box; and its object is tovprovide a stuffing-box which will pack a hydraulic joint tightly andwith economy of packing material, be entirely impervious to grit fromboth directions, and include also a lubricating-box by which lubricantis applied to the pistonrod or piston.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of the stufug-box orpiston-rod. Fig. 2 is a Vertical transverse section through the line @cy of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the stuffing-box, showing thebox-head in full and the piston-rod in section. Fig. 4 is a View, partlyin full elevation and partly in vertical section, of the device forforcing the packing forward on the gland. Fig. 5 is a partially fullelevation, partly vertical section of the cap which covers thelubricantchamber. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the stuffing-box. Fig.7 is a vertical section of the gland. Fig. 8 is a vertical section ofthe split-metal packing-ring. Fig. 9 is a` side elevation Vof same. Fig.10 is an enlarged view showing in vertical section a part of thestuffing-box and gland with the packing in place and indicating therelative position of these parts in practice. Fig. 11 is a verticalsection of a modified forrn of gland.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 is a cylinder-head on which the stuffing-box ismounted and to which it is secured.

2 is a piston-rod or piston. It will be understood that the constructionwill be the v same and the same in operation whether the pump consist ofa piston and piston-rod or a plunger of uniform size throughout.

3 is a cylindrical flange fixed on the face of the cylinder-head andprovided on opposite sides with lugs 4 4, into which are tapped bolts 55.

6 6 are lock-nuts which lock the bolts onio the lugs 4 4. The bolts 5 5are each provided with collars 6a 6a, integral with the bolts, and thebolts are threaded on their ends to receive set-nuts 7 7.

8 is the stuffing-box, tapped into the cylinder-head and perforatedthrough its center. It is shown in vertical section detached from theouter construction in Fig. 6. The piston-rod passes through the centerof its bottom. It will be noticed that the stuffingbox is provided withinclined walls upon the interior which converge at two angles toward thecentral aperture. The portion of the inclined wall having the smallerangle with the axis of the box is marked 9. The steeper portion of thewall, having the greater angle, is marked 10.

11 is the gland shown in detail in Fig. 7. It ts snugly around thepiston-rod and is recessed at its forward end to provide a seat for anantifriction metal ring. It is provided on its exterior at the left-handend with an integral collar 12 and is tapered toward its right-hand end.Near the end it is provided with a series of parallel steps or grooveswhich encircle its exterior surface. The ridges or steps between thegrooves are of such a height as to correspond with the taper. Thegrooves are marked 13 13 and the ridges or steps 14 14. The extreme endof the gland is tapered abruptly at an angle much greater than thebalance of the gland and atan angle slightly greater than the angle ofthe inclined wall at the bottom of the stuffingebox. Surrounding thegland is a hollow cylinder 15, provided upon its interior with twoinwardly-projecting flanges 16 16 and upon its exterior with a squarethread 17. On one side of the cylinder there is ahorizontally-projecting iiange 18, provided with a series of radialsockets 19 19. The cylinder is shown in detail in Fig. 4. The gland 11fits closely into the cylinder 15 and the inwardly-projecting flanges 1616 rest upon the exterior Wall of the gland. Surrounding the gland andthe cylinder is a casing 20, which is cylindrical in form and providedupon its exterior with two lugs 21 21, which are perforated and throughwhich pass the bolts 5 5. On the interior of the casing, at about itscenter,there is an inwardly-projecting flange 22, having a centralaperture which fits upon the left-hand end of the gland, the collar 12of the gland bearing against the right-hand side of the fiange 22. Uponthe interior of the right-hand end of the casing there is cut a squarethread-groove 23, into which meshes the thread 17 of the cylinder 15.The left-hand end of the casing 20 is threaded upon its exterior, andupon that thread is screwed a cap 24. (Shown in detail in Fig. 5.)

The casing 2O and cap 24 constitute an auxiliary stuffing-box whichguards the main stuffing-box against the admission of grit from theoutside. This stuiiing-box may be packed with any form of packing orlubricant for the purpose of cleaning and lubricating the piston-rod. Iprefer to use a diaphragm surrounding the piston and dividing the auX-iliary stuiing-box into two chambers, one of which may contain lubricantand the other packing.

25 is an antifriction-ring which is split so as to be compressible andsurrounds the piston-rod and is situated in the socket 2G in the innerside of the right-hand end ot' the gland. Leather or other suitablepacking material is used for packing the joint, and it is placed aroundthe gland in the grooves 13 13 and over the ridges or steps 11 1-1,covering the ring 25 and bearing upon the pistonrod. The packing isextended over the gland to a point somewhat beyond the end of thestufiing-box, and the gland is then moved up on the piston-rod until'the gland, covered by its packing material, makes contact with theinterior of the stu lling-box. The angle of the end of the gland beingmore abrupt than the angle of the bottom of the stuiing-box, the packingwill be pinched tightly between the top of the last ridge on the end ofthe gland and forced forward from that point without exerting anymaterial compression upon that part of the packing which is behind it,the angle of the taper of the gland back of the top of the last ridgeupon it being somewhat less than the taper of the wall of the box0pposite to it. I have found this construction to be the most elective,but a different arrangement of angles will give good results. I may makethe angles of the taper of the gland the same as the angles of theinclination of the wall of the stuffing-box, so that the surfaces may beparallel, the only essential point being that the surfaces should beapproximately parallel. The packing material, therefore, which is infront of the end of the gland will be forced forward against theinclined wall of the box and down upon the piston-rod and upon the metalring, which is split and capable of being contracted upon the piston-rodand which lies below the end of the gland and is forced forward by it.The gland is moved forward by tightening the nuts 7 7, which pushforward the casing 20, the cylinder 15, and the gland 11, until the lugs21 21 come in contact with the collars 6 6 upon the bolts 5 5. Vhen thistakes place, the limit of motion of the parts in their then relation hasbeen reached and theil` relation must be changed. Thenuts 7 7are thenloosened, and the casing 20, cylinder 15, and the gland 11 aie drawnback until the ange18 and the sockets 19 are drawn out of thecovering-Harige 3. A pin may then be inserted in one or more of thesockets 19 and the cylinder 15 screwed out of the casing 20. The packingwhich su rronnds the end of the gland having been entirely relieved ofcontact with the stuffing-box will be pushed forward on the gland by thecylinder 15 until it has advanced far enough beyond the end of the glandto supply a sufficient quantity of packing beyond the gland to pack thejoint. The nuts 7 7 are then tightened, and the gland, cylinder, andcasing are carried forward together until the gland again bites againstthe interior of the stuffing-box, with a sufficient quantity of packingmaterial ahead of the end of the gland to make a joint. The lugs 21 21have not yet contacted with the collars 6 (5, and the nuts.7 7 arescrewed up only so far as is necessary to make the joint desirable; butthey are tightened as the packing wears, and it becomes necessary toexert greater and greater pressure upon the packing beyond the end ofthe gland. By this means the packing need not be removed from the glandin order to tighten it; but it may be moved forward upon the end of thegland, so as to pack the joint as often as may be required. When thecylinder 15 has been screwed out of the casing 2O so far as to makecontact with the end of the stuing-box 9, then the nuts must be releasedand the cylinder 15 screwed back into the casing 2O and a new piece ofpacking inserted between the rear end of the packing already coveringthe end of the gland and the inwardly-projecting ange 16 ot' thecylinder 15, when the same operation may be repeated.

While I have described my stuffing-box as applicable to pumps and it isintended to use it principally for making a packing which will resistthe action of water under pressure, it is equally applicable fordevicesusing any other iiuid, such as steam or air.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a stuffing-box the combination of a box, the interior wall ofwhich is inclined t0- ward the axis, one portion of the wall at one endof the box being inclined at a small angle to the axis and the otherportion of the wall at the other end of the box being inclined at agreater angle to the axis, with a gland surrounding the piston-rod whichis tapered at its end, at two angles, one portion being tapered at asmall angle to the axis IDO IIO

while the taper of the extreme end is abrupt, the angle of the inclinedWall of the box having the small angle being greater than the angle ofthe tapered portion of the gland having the small angle, and the angleof the inclined wall of the box having the greater angle being less thanthe angle of the tapered end of the gland, substantially as described.

2. In a stuffing-box the combination of a box the interior wall of whichis inclined toward the axis, one portion of the wall at one end of thebox being inclined at a small angle to the axis, and the other portionof the wall at the other end of the box being inclined at a greaterangle to the'axis, with a gland surrounding the piston-rod which istapered at its end at two angles one portion being tapered at a smallangle to the axis while the taper of the extreme end is abrupt, thesurface of the said abrupt end being concave, the angle of the inclinedWall of t-he box having the small angle, being greater than the angle ofthe tapered portion of the gland, having the small angle, and the angleof the inclined wall of the box having the greater angle, being lessthan the angle of the tapered end of the gland, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a stuffing-box the combinationlof a box the interior Wall ofwhichis inclined toward the axis, one portion of the Wall at one end of thebox being inclined at a small angle to the axis, and the other portionof the wall at the other end of the box being inclined at a greaterangle to the axis, with a gland surrounding the piston-rod which istapered at its end at two angles one portion being tapered at a smallangle to the axis while the taper of the extreme end is abrupt, theinclined surface of the gland being provided with annular grooves andintervening ridges or steps, thesangle of the inclined wall of the boxhaving the small angle, being greater than the angle of the taperedportion of the gland, having the small angle, and the angle of theinclined wall of the box having the greater angle, being less than theangle of the tapered end of the gland, substantially as described.

4. In a stuffing-box the combination of a box the interior wall of whichis inclined toward the axis, one portion of the wall at one end of thebox being inclined at a small angle to the axis, and the other portionof the wall at the other end of the box being inclined at a greaterangle to the axis, with a gland surrounding the piston-rod which istapered at its end at two angles one portion being tapered at a smallangle to the axis while the taper of the extreme end is abrupt, theangle of the inclined Wall of the box having the small angle beinggreater than the angle of the tapered portion of the gland having thesmall angle, and the angle of the inclined Wall of the box having thegreater angle being less than the angle of the tapered end of the gland,and a compressible ring surrounding ythe piston-rod, and located betweenthe box and the end of the gland, substantially as described. K

5. Ina stuffing-box the combination of a box the interior wall of whichis inclined toward the axis, one portion of the wall at one end of thebox beinginclined at a small angle to the axis, and the other portion ofthe wall at the other end of the box being inclined at a greater angleto the axis, with a gland surrounding the piston-rod which is tapered atits end attwo angles one portion being tapered at a small angle to theaxis while the taper of the extreme end is abrupt, the angle of theinclin ed wall of the box having the small angle, being greater than theangle of the tapered portion of the gland having the small angle, andthe angle of the inclined Wall of the box having the greater angle beingless than the angle of the tapered end of the gland, and means forforcing the gland into the stuffingbox, substantially as described.

6. In a stuffing-box the combination of a box surrounding the piston-rodand secured to the cylinder-head, having its internal walls convergingtoward its axis, Witha gland surrounding the piston-rod, and having itsexterior surface tapered toward its end, packing surrounding the glandand filling the space between the box and the gland, and means forforcing the gland into the box, substanl tially as described.

7. In a stuiing-box the combination of a box surrounding the piston-rodand secured to the cylinder-head, having its internal wall convergingtoward its axis, with a gland surrounding the piston-rod, and having itsexterior surface tapered toward its end, packing surrounding the glandand iilling the space between the box and gland,'means for forcing thegland into the box, and means for forcing the packing off the end of thegland, independent of the means for forcing the gland into the box.

8. In a stuffing-box the combination of a box having its interior wallconverging toward its axis, a gland concentric with the box, and havingits exterior surface taperedv on the end which enters the box, packingsurrounding the gland and filling the space between the box and thegland, a casing surrounding the gland, and bearing upon its rear end,and providedwith means for forcing the gland into the box, and a sleevesurrounding the gland, threaded into the casing, and bearing upon therear end of the packing, substantially as described.

9. In a stuffing-box the combination of a box having its interior wallconverging toward its axis, a gland concentric with the box, and havingits exterior surface tapered on the end which enters the box, packingsurrounding the gland, and filling the space between the box and thegland, a cylindrical casing larger than the gland, having'aninwardlyprojecting flan ge at or about the center of its IOO IIO

Izo

interior surface, the cylinder at one end surof Maryland, this 12th dayof November, rounding the gland, and at the other end the 1901.piston-rod, the space between the cylinder 1 and the piston-rod beingpacked with elean- ALBE R1 G' CUMMINGS' 5 ing and lubricating material,substantially Witnesses:

as described. FELIX R. SULLIVAN,

Signed by me at; Baltimore city, in the State LOUIS A. KATZENBERGER.

